First, we’re announcing a new feature to help you evaluate the authenticity of accounts with large followings on Instagram; we’re also launching a global verification form for notable public figures; and finally, we’re announcing an improved form of two-factor authentication that makes it easier and safer for you to securely log into Instagram.

Our mission is to bring you closer to the people and things you love. That closeness can only happen if Instagram is a safe place. As the CTO of Instagram, keeping people with bad intentions off our platform is incredibly important to me. That means trying to make sure the people you follow and the accounts you interact with are who they say they are, and stopping bad actors before they cause harm.

“About This Account”

In the coming weeks, you will be able to see more information about accounts on Instagram that reach large audiences so you can evaluate the authenticity of the account. To learn more about an account, go to their Profile, tap the … menu and then select “About This Account.” There, you will see the date the account joined Instagram, the country where the account is located, accounts with shared followers, any username changes in the last year and any ads the account is currently running.

Our community has told us that it’s important to them to have a deeper understanding of accounts that reach many people on Instagram, particularly when those accounts are sharing information related to current events, political or social causes, for example. If you do see an account on Instagram you believe violates our Community Guidelines, you can report it.

In September, people who have accounts that reach large audiences can review the information about their accounts that will soon be publicly available. After that, the “About This Account” tool will be available to the global community.

Increasing Access to Verification

In addition to the “About This Account” feature, the blue verified badge is an important way for you to know that the account you are interacting with is the authentic presence of a notable public figure, celebrity, global brand or entity. Today we are enabling a new way for accounts that reach large audiences and meet our criteria to request verification through a form within the Instagram app.

To be verified, an account must comply with Instagram’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. We will review verification requests to confirm the authenticity, uniqueness, completeness and notability of each account. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Instagram’s verification criteria.

To access the verification request form, go to your profile, tap the menu icon, select “Settings” at the bottom and then choose “Request Verification.” You will need to provide your account username, your full name and a copy of your legal or business identification. This information will not be shared publicly.

Submitting a request for verification does not guarantee that your account will be verified. Once your request has been reviewed, you will receive a notification confirming or declining your request in the notifications tab. Instagram will never request payment for verification or reach out to ask you to confirm your verification.

Support for Third-Party Authenticator Apps

Finally, soon you will soon be able to use third-party authenticator apps to log into your Instagram account. This form of two-factor authentication makes it easier and safer for you to securely log into Instagram.

To use a third-party app to log into your Instagram account, go to your profile, tap the menu icon, select “Settings” at the bottom and then choose “Two-Factor Authentication.” Select “Authentication App” as your preferred form of authentication. If you already have an authentication app installed, we will automatically find the app and send a login code to it. Go to the app, retrieve the code and enter it on Instagram, and two-factor authentication will turn on automatically. If you don’t have one installed yet, we will send you to the App Store or Google Play Store to download the authenticator app of your choice. Once you’ve installed it, return to Instagram to continue setting up your two-factor authentication.

Support for third-party authenticator apps has begun to roll out and will be available to the global community in the coming weeks.

I founded Instagram alongside Kevin nearly eight years ago, and we care deeply about this community and the people who are part of it. We’ve been focused on the safety of our platform since the very beginning, and today’s updates build upon our existing tools, such as our spam and abusive content filters and the ability to report or block accounts. We know we have more work to do to keep bad actors off Instagram, and we are committed to continuing to build more tools to do just that.